The GRE or Graduate Record Examinations is a standard requirement for those who wish to enter graduate school. It is a standardized test that is imposed on forthcoming graduate students in the United States of America as well as in other English speaking countries, especially among business courses. If you do not pass the GRE or at least garnered a score required for your course, you can say goodbye to the ambition of entering graduate school. But what scores matter? Do you know what factors can affect how much is the GRE score you need to enter graduate school? Well, we give you the details in this article.

10. The use of GRE scores vary from school to school.

Different schools make use of GRE as an admission requirement. Some schools strictly require high GRE scores. With others, however, some other standardized tests are instead needed. The GMAT or the Graduate Management Admission Test is one other test that is required for other graduate schools, especially those that have business programs. You must inquire from your target school to know whether it is a GRE or GMAT test score that you need to pass, including the acceptable average for either.

9. The use of GRE scores vary from department to department.

Sometimes, the rule of school regarding the passing GRE score is different from what is imposed on the department itself. When making an inquiry, therefore, you must be clear about which department you wish to enter. The Harvard Business School, for example, requires a GRE test score that is not more than five years old and is in a specific level. You have to inquire about that specific score you must attain to enjoy an entry to the specific department you are meaning to enter.

8. The use of GRE scores vary from program to program.

The requirement of GRE score may also be program-specific. If you are applying for a specific program, you must learn about the required score first to know whether your application have any way of getting approved or not.

7. The GRE test has different sections.

Although the GRE is a standardized test that is applied to all, it has different sections, covering different fields and disciplines. Sometimes, it would depend on how you score in one section to know if you will be admitted to the school, department, and program you wish to enter. The GRE has a total of six sections. One is about analytical writing, two is about verbal reasoning, two is about quantitative reasoning, and one is either research or experimental.

6. There are subject tests provided for different areas.

Subject tests are also provided aside from the general test. This further measures a student’s capacity to flourish in a specific graduate program. The specific subject tests include Chemistry, Biology, Computer Science, Mathematics, Molecular Biology, and Literature. There are also subject tests involving Psychology, Physics, Economics, Geology, Music, History, Political Science, Sociology, and Engineering. Some of the subject tests are discontinued over the years. That includes Education, Political Science, Sociology, and History. After the 2013 exams, the Computer Science exam will also be discontinued.

5. The GRE format has been revised in recent years.

Aside from the subject tests that are being discontinued over the years, the GRE format has also been revised the past years or so. In 2011, the exam was created n a question-by-question basis. The scores were also changed from the 130 scale to a 170 scale. That speaks a lot of how much weight the score has in one’s proposed admission to earn a master’s degree. For some, a GRE score is merely a formality requirement but for others, it bears weight on how well a student performs at graduate school. Even with a refurbished format, that stands the same.

4. Your undergraduate performance will matter.

In some cases, it is not your GRE score that will be looked over but your grades in your undergraduate school. If you are able to achieve straight As through the years and through all levels, getting a low GRE score may not matter. Then again, that is just about some schools. There are still others that would impress getting straight As in school is strongly indicative of an ability to perform well at the GRE.

3. Your perseverance in getting into graduate school will matter.

The experts’ advice? That you should not take GRE scores seriously. Instead, take your dreams of entering into graduate school seriously. Your perseverance means that you will not stop until you are able to impress the admissions panel in getting you into their stable. How you can do that? By performing well on all parts of the whole evaluation process.

2. You can impress the admissions committee with your grades in other graduate-level courses.

Some of those who wish to enter graduate school may take other graduate-level courses. This may not have an impact on how you score in your GRE but it will definitely have on how the admissions committee will look at you. If you take graduate-level courses and you perform exceptionally well on them, you will have a very good chance at impressing the authorities that you are serious about entering graduate school and at performing well on them. It will also show off that you indeed have what it takes to succeed and an academic ability that could get you a long way.

1. How much you like to enter the school, department, or program you wish to enter.

If you are really firm about entering graduate school, nothing should stop you. Nothing should put off your persistence and determination. If in case you did not get the GRE score your target school, department, and program requires and you only want it because you think it is the best for you, you can always retake the exam and aim for the score you need. If you are determined, nothing is impossible. You can reach your goals and fly high, definitely.